Investigating education students’ language learning beliefs and motivation for learning English

2021 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-121
Author(s):  
PraysGod Mhlongo ◽  
Colleen Du Plessis ◽  
Albert Weideman

Institutions responsible for the training of educators have a duty to ensure that students develop adequate mastery of subject content and pedagogy. This paper investigates the language learning beliefs (LLBs) of pre-service Foundation and Intermediate Phase  educators and their alignment with language learning principles from applied linguistics research on second language acquisition (SLA). The study also examines the students’ motives for learning English since motivation plays a part in sustaining language learning. Gardner’s socio-educational model and Dörnyei’s L2 motivational self system are used as theoretical frameworks in addition to the work of scholars such as Horwitz, Griffiths, and Weideman and Lepota on language learning strategies and beliefs. The results of a  cross-sectional survey using the Beliefs About Language Learning and Motivation Inventory Modified (BALLMI-M) are analysed. The findings show that students are highly motivated to master English but do not wish to integrate with the English speech community. Furthermore, they lack understanding about the nature of language skills and have conflicting LLBs that should be addressed in futureamendments to the language curriculum. Keywords: language learning motivation, additional language teaching, literacy levels of Education students, language learning beliefs, language learning strategies 

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 129
Author(s):  
Laura V. Fielden Burns ◽  
Mercedes Rico García

<p class="1"><em>Language Learning Beliefs</em><em> (LLB) are an important area for foreign and second language learning research that has grown considerably over the last decade, and which spans multi-disciplinary fields across education, linguistics and psychology (Martínez Agudo, 2014). These beliefs have become more important as they affect motivation and perhaps even language learning strategies (Zare-ee, 2010), though more research must be done in the latter area (Martínez Agudo, 2014). One understudied branch of LLB is that of language aptitude. Beliefs concerning language aptitude are not new, given that they appeared as a staple area of Horwitz’s seminal research for the BALLI questionnaire (Beliefs About Language Learning Inventory) (1987). However, beliefs on language aptitude need to be revisited given the multiple studies in social psychology on how beliefs affect learning when considering a given quality as innate or learned (Dweck, 2014). These studies show how believing intelligence to be fixed or incremental has a variety of consequences for learners that are fundamental for their long-term success in the classroom. Our aim in this paper is to merge these pertinent concepts to the foreign language classroom, in particular because the belief that intelligence is fixed or incremental mirrors the long-standing debate over language aptitude as innate or learned. </em></p>


XLinguae ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 216-234
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Khonamri ◽  
Martina Pavlikova ◽  
Fatemeh Ansari ◽  
Natalia L. Sokolova ◽  
Andrey V. Korzhuev ◽  
...  

Research on the relationship among language learning strategy, language learning beliefs and autonomy abounds in the literature. However, few studies have explored the possibility of promoting learners’ autonomy and changing their beliefs through instructing language learning strategies in a collaborative manner. In addition, most of the earlier investigations have been carried out through purely cognitive or sociocultural perspectives employing solely quantitative or qualitative methods. Using a socio-cognitive framework, the present study aimed at first, identifying the relationships among language learning beliefs, language learning strategies, and learner autonomy; and second, investigating the role of collaboration in using language learning strategies that would eventually lead to autonomy and change of beliefs. To collect data, a mixed-method design was applied. An autonomy questionnaire, Horwitz's BALLI (Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory, 1987) and Oxford's SILL (Strategy Inventory for Language Learning, 1990) were given to177 EFL learners at the University of Mazandaran in Iran. To supplement the quantitative data with qualitative data, negotiated interviews and the learners' selfreflection notes were used. The analysis was done using paired sample T-tests, SEM and also content analysis. The findings revealed that language learning beliefs affected the learners' autonomy through the mediation of language learning strategies. However, the instruction of the strategies did not have any effects on the learners' autonomy but it helped in changing their language learning beliefs. The qualitative analysis also led to identifying some categories, subcategories and their relationships to and effects on each other.


Author(s):  
Sulaiman Sulaiman Sulaiman

<p align="center">Abstract</p><p>This study revealed the students’ language learning strategies in learning English. This study conducted on descriptive design which used quantitative approach to analyze the data. Therefore, the data is collected through Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) Questionnaire. The populations in this research were 116 students, while 90 of them were used as sample. The researcher uses purposive sampling as the technique sampling to select the sample.</p><p>The findings of the language learning strategies used by the students with high level of achievement and the students with low level of achievement are the students with high level of achievement is better than students with low level of achievement in the use of language learning strategies because they have higher average score in the use of six strategies, namely memory, cognitive, compensation, metacognitive, affective and social strategies. The finding of the use of language learning strategies by female and male students are female students is better in the use of language learning strategies because they get higher average score.</p><p>The teachers should be equipped with a lot of strategies that they will be able to propose to students so that they can deal with difficult academic task. The teachers should design activities that the students use a variety of strategies and after the completion of the task they should held a discussion session with students about the strategies that they use, whether these strategies proved to be useful or not. In his way, the teachers have opportunity to see the success each students in the use of the strategies, the students will be able to see what their appropriate strategies use. Thus, they will be given the opportunity to make self  evaluation, decide which is better for them or learn an alternative way of doing a particular task.</p><p>Keyword: Language, Second Language Acquisition, Language Learning Strategies.</p>


Author(s):  
Vítor Romário Monticelli Garcia

This study investigates motivational factors and language learning strategies involved in the process of learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in the elderly. The taxonomy of strategies developed by Oxford (1990) is adopted, as well as discussions on motivation in language learning. Twenty-five (25) elderly students participated in this research. Three instruments were administered for data collection, (i) a placement test; (ii) a background questionnaire; (iii) and a translated version of the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL), proposed by Oxford (1990). Results identified 11 strategies used more frequently, most of them metacognitive strategies. Results also show that learning English, travelling, and socializing are motivational factors in this group. This paper may contribute to researchers and to English teachers and elderly students by shedding some light on features of EFL learning in the elderly regarding language strategies and motivational aspects.


Author(s):  
Catherine Wong Hui Tiing ◽  
Poh Phui Chan ◽  
Hooi Sieng Liew ◽  
Madaline Niek Yai Wen ◽  
Sharvin Devi Mohan Raw ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurul An-nisa ◽  
Tono Suwartono

To some, learning English appears to be complicated. In the academic contexts, students still get difficulties in learning English. Teachers as educatorsshould be creative in choosing the best method to teach the language. Learning strategies that are less fun or arguably boring do not improve students’ English skills, instead will only make students feel bored and lazy to learn. The most important thing is that students enjoy every learning process as something fun. It can help the students feel comfortable during the learning process. Fun learning activities will have an impact on improving students’ English abilities naturally. It helps students to reduce pressure during learning. Therefore, the ways of learning must be designed and adapted to the needs of students. This paper is non-research based. It means that the paper is about author’s perspective of how to learn English in fun ways. This article enlists several fun ways in learning English. So, the students can find their enjoyment in learning English.Keywords: Fun, Learning English, Strategies, Method


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 6
Author(s):  
Mohammed Mahib UR Rahman

Language learning strategies (LLS) play a significant part in learning a second or foreign language. These strategies support and simplify the process of language learning for students. Hence, this study endeavors to investigate LLS applied by students at the Department of English Language and Translation, Qassim University in learning English language as a foreign language. The present study applied “Strategy Inventory for Language Learning” (SILL), which was established by Oxford (1990) to collect data. 30 students from level four took part voluntarily, and later data was analyzed to provide means, distribution of frequencies, standard deviation, percentages, and total scores of data set. The study discloses that EFL students were accustomed to the whole six LLS groups. Moreover, the study also reveals that some students used more LLS than other students, although the difference was significant across all students. These LLS groups are; “compensation, social strategies, affective, cognitive, metacognitive, and memory with a medium level of frequency use for over-all strategies (M = 3.49)”. The most repeatedly applied strategies by students of level four from these six strategies are as follows from the top “metacognitive, compensation, social, memory, cognitive, and affective strategies”. The findings would help teachers and students to be aware of LLS while in teaching and learning English as a foreign language.


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